(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition for promoting hair growth, and particularly to a composition for promoting hair growth comprising an ingredient for inhibiting 5 α-reductase activity, an ingredient for promoting function of cell activity, and an ingredient for dilating peripheral blood vessels.
(b) Description of the Related Art
There are approximately 100,000˜150,000 hairs on a human body, and each hair has a different cycle and grows and falls off while passing through anagen, catagen, and telogen phases. Such a cycle is repeated over 3˜6 years, and as a result, an average of 50˜100 hairs normally fall out per day. Generally, a phenomenon in which the percentage of hairs in the anagen phase decreases and the percentage in the catagen or telogen phases increases, and thus many hairs abnormally fall out, is referred to as “alopecia”.
As causes for depilation, excessive function of male hormones, excessive secretion of sebaceous matter, poor blood circulation, scalp function drop due to peroxides, bacteria, etc., genetic factors, aging, stress, etc. have been discussed. Although an exact cause for depilation has not yet been clarified, it is known that very complicated processes are involved therein. Recently, the population suffering from depilation has increased due to increase in stress, by changes in diet, social environments, etc., and the age has lowered and the female depilation population has increased.
As technologies for depilation and hair growth, preparations containing female hormones as main ingredients for promoting blood circulation, reinforcing hair root function, moisturizing the scalp, and inhibiting male hormone function; 5 α-reductase inhibitors; preparations containing minoxidil, trichosaccharides, etc. have been suggested, but they have not shown any marked effects, and side-effect problems are raised.
As technologies for inhibition of depilation and hair growth, preparations containing ingredients for promoting blood circulation, reinforcing hair root function, moisturizing the scalp, etc.; female hormones for inhibiting male hormone function; 5 α-reductase inhibitors; preparations containing minoxidil, trichosaccharides, etc. as main ingredients have been suggested, but they have not shown any marked effects, and side-effect problems are raised.
For example, in order to inhibit 5 α-reductase, a male alopecia-treating agent using finasteride that has been used as a male prostate gland treating agent has been developed, but side effects such as sexual function disorder, etc. have been reported. In addition, Korean Patent Application No. 1998-008238, and Japanese Patent Laid-Publication Nos. 2000-256142, 2000-169497, 2000-095649, 2000-053539, 2000-007534, and 1999-246414 have disclosed 5 α-reductase activity-inhibiting material or compositions using natural extracts such as Sophora flavescens extract, etc. However, hair growth effects are not satisfactory if they are used alone.
The main function of blood circulation is to transfer nutrients or other required materials to tissues, and blood supply is important for hair growth. Shollet and Cotrans have reported that blood vessels around hairs in the anagen phase are more plentiful than those around hairs in the telogen phase, and it is known that as hair papilla becomes larger, the number of micro-blood vessels increases to have a capillary network developed suitably for a large hair follicle. In addition, according to a hypothesis that a scalp flexibility drop or a decrease in peripheral vascular blood flow in subcutaneous scalp cell tissue causes hair growth disorders, if the well-developed capillary network decreases because of primary or secondary factors, the number of hair follicles reduces by a kind of nutrition disorder to manifest clinical depilation symptoms. Minoxidil, known to be a hypertension-treating agent, is widely used to promote hair growth, but it cannot show satisfactory hair growth-promoting effects.
Accordingly, there is a need for development of a hair growth-promoting agent having superior hair growth-promoting effects without side effects.